CVE-2015-8235 in Spiffy
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in Spiffy before 5.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
The CVE-2015-8235 vulnerability represents a directory traversal flaw that affected the Spiffy framework version prior to 5.4, exposing systems to potential unauthorized access and data compromise. This vulnerability falls under the category of path traversal attacks where malicious actors could exploit improperly validated input to navigate beyond the intended directory structure and access restricted files or directories. The issue stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input that is used to construct file paths or directory references within the application's file handling mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the Spiffy framework fails to properly validate or sanitize file path parameters that originate from user input. Attackers can manipulate these parameters using sequences such as "../" or similar directory traversal patterns to access files outside the designated application directories. This flaw enables adversaries to read sensitive files including configuration files, source code, database credentials, or other confidential data that should remain protected within the application's secure boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows for arbitrary file access without proper authentication or authorization mechanisms being enforced.
From an operational impact perspective, this directory traversal vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations utilizing affected Spiffy versions. The potential consequences include data breaches, unauthorized system access, information disclosure, and possible system compromise. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information such as database connection strings, API keys, or application configuration files that contain critical system details. The vulnerability also enables potential escalation to more severe attacks including remote code execution if combined with other exploits or if the application has insufficient access controls. Organizations may face regulatory compliance violations, financial losses, and reputational damage due to unauthorized data access.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses "Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')", and demonstrates how insufficient input validation creates exploitable conditions. This weakness is commonly exploited in the context of the ATT&CK framework under the technique T1083, "File and Directory Discovery", where adversaries seek to identify and access sensitive files on compromised systems. Mitigation strategies include implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms, enforcing strict file path validation, using secure coding practices, and applying the latest security patches. Organizations should also implement principle of least privilege access controls, deploy web application firewalls, and conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their applications and infrastructure.